1. the graduate college | focal point initiative 2011-2012 THEMES & TOPICS
Transnational 1 digital universalism: transnational
technology initiatives in developing
countries
communications 4 2 3
2 rethinking power and protest: technology
within larger social ecologies
research
5
3 new formations in the global division of
labor: planet factory & the global worker
4 transnational space: the global city
and the global street
cultural flows & 1 platform imperialism in transnational
communication technologies new media
purpose activities 10/7/2011: reading group meeting, read work by Koichi Iwabuchi and Aiwha Ong
10/20/2011: public lecture with dal yong jin, simon fraser university
titled “the construction of platform imperialism”
>>Rationale launched website 10/21/2011: private workshop with dal yong jin
Across a wide range of disciplines, there has been growing attention toward www.cultural-tech.org
the “digital,” as evidenced by the rise of interdisciplinary digital humanities and generated a preliminary
centers on campuses globally. At the same time, several disciplines in the
humanities have professed to have taken a “global” or “transnational”
reading list
turn and have begun to reframe traditional scholarly approaches in order
to take into account the complex social forms emerging in a context of
changing global relations. Yet the intersections between the transnational
and the digital have yet to be examined.
3/8/2012: public lecture
with nick dyer-witheford
(Univ. of western ontario)
>>PURPOSE titled cyber-marxism in the
The purpose of project was to examine the convergence of information 21st century
technology and transnational cultural flows in order to be critical of the
3/9/2012: private workshop
uses of new media technologies and the global contexts that shape them photos going clockwise: 1.) dal yong jin speaking at the public lecture 2.) john nerone, icr, introduces with dyer-witherford
and to expand upon how we think of research within these contexts. Placing jin 3.) jin with focal point student organizers 4.) jin fields questions from the audience 5.) audience at
lecture. 6.) jin at the workshop
research in communication technologies in conversation with transnational
scholarship is necessary as each field is increasingly integral to, indeed
interdependent on, the other and through interdisciplinary collaboration
may yield more fruitful possibilities. august september october novemeber december january february march april may
>>research questions 9/3/2011 & 2/3/2012: reading group meeting,, discussed left, top: kent ono, pro-
fessor, icr, gives open-
12/6/2011: public lecture with anita say chan, university of illinois, college of
* Under what conditions (cultural, political and economic) are the work by Saskia Sassen and Nick Dyer-Witheford
9/24/2011 media, “hacking digital universalism” one Laptop Per Child &
ing remarks, bottom:
consumption, reproduction and redistribution of transnational media darren stevenson, ICR,
held two reading information networks in the andes” presents at the sympo-
products possible? 12/7/2011: private workshop with anita say chan sium, right: dennis red-
group meetings 2/22/2012: Private Workshop with Saskia Sassen;
* How do various information and communication technologies affect mond, icr speaks at the
where we dis- Public lecture titled “Digital Formations of the
sympoisum
these global flows? cussed work by: Powerless and powerful.”
*
In what ways do these instances of transnational consumption and Michael Hardt &
production transform everyday cultural, political and economic life of Antonio Negri
those involved? Dan Schiller
Arjun Apparurai
Prem Shankar Jha
>>objectives
1 to form an interdisciplinary community in which to bring these two
areas into conversation in the form of reading groups, workshops
established
collaboration with
and public lectures, Global Studies in
2 to provide the foundation for collaborative projects, including Education writing
>>>>
publications, presentations, and graduate courses group led by photos: top left: Rayvon Fouché, history,
introduces chan, top right: chan speaks at
Cameron McCarthy
3
the public lecture, bottom: the audience top: Cameron McCarthy, Professor, Education, introduces sassen
to develop an archive of useful materials, including reading lists and takes notes during chan’s lecture. bottom: sassen gives her public lecture at the spurlock knight auditorium
links to relevant sources.
outcomes distribution of scholarship organizers:
publications
Bulut, E., Mejia, R., & McCarthy, McCarthy, C., Bulut, E., & Patel, Mejia R. & Komaki, R. (In progress).
Focal Point resources were also used for nine individual conference presentations that
spanned many disciplines (see presentations list).
C. (In progress). Governance
through Philitainment: Playing the
R. (In press). Race and Education
in the Age of Digital Capitalism.
The Historical Conception of
Biohazard in Biohazard. In M.
JUNGMIN KWON
PH.D. CANDIDATE, INSTITUTE OF COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH
Benevolent Subject. Submitted In W. F. Pinar (Ed), International Kapell & A. Elliot (Eds), Simulating
created interdisciplinary community created digital archive of resources to Communication and Critical/ Handbook of Curriculum Research. History. New York: Continuum.
EILEEN LAGMAN
Throughout the year, the Focal Point group increased in diverse membership Cultural Studies. London: Routledge.
The Focal Point group created a useful archive of materials which are hosted on the PH.D. CANDIDATE, ENGLISH/WRITING STUDIES
from various departments across campus. In addition, we were able to gain
group’s website, including a comprehensive reading list and a collection of electronic
over $1,000 in co-sponsorship from eight departments including Asian
American Studies, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Unit for
links, abstracts and other resources. The group was also able to identify core themes ROBERT MEJIA
presentations
and readings that are able to act as organizing frameworks for a graduate course. Bulut, E. “Philitainment: Simulating Komaki, R. “New Media, Old Media, Lagman, E. “Re-Framing Rhetorical Action PH.D., INSTITUTE OF COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH
Criticism and Theory and School of Architecture, among others. Finally, the Poverty, Playing Development.” and Japanese-Brazilian ReturnMigrants within Global Digital Networks.” Rhetoric
Several Focal Point members used these readings in teaching their graduate courses. International Communication Association. in Japan.” Harvard East Asia Society Society of America.
Focal Point group was able to provide a space for interdisciplinary conversation
through its bi-weekly reading groups and four public lectures. Bulut, E. “Will Work For Fun: Precarious
Graduate Student Conference.
Lagman, E. “Dialogic Logics of Literacy:
Rayvon Fouché
generated further inquiry Labor in the Video Game Industry.” Kwon, J. “Ain’t 3-D Women Hot?: The Exploring Relationships of Exchange in
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, HISTORY
fostered interdisciplinary collaboration The group identified new and more focused reseach questions which focus on
Union for Democratic Communications
conference.
Female Body in the Three-Dimensional
Film, Avatar.” Association for Education in
Transnational Ecologies.” Conference on
College Composition and Communication. KENT A. ONO
One direct partnership was created between the Focal Point group and transnational communications research methods and practices of particular Journalism and Mass Communication
PROFESSOR, INSTITUTE OF COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH
communities and industries. These questions will be taken up under the themes Komaki, R. “New Media and Old Media, Mejia, R., Silva, K., Nichols, R., & Aslinger,
the Global Studies in Education program which resulted in a conference, Transnational Practices and Identities, Kwon, J. “Global Queers, Local Straight B. “Beyond the Player, Beyond the Game:
symposium, and published journal article. The Focal Point group also “myths” and “futures” in Phase Two of the Focal Point project which has received and Japanese-Brazilian Return Migrants Girls.” Cultural Studies Association Broadening the Question of Video Game
fostered three joint publications (see publications list). funding for the 2012-2013 academic year. in Japan.” Annual Meeting of the conference, Meaning.” Crossroads in Cultural Studies.
International Communication Association. for more information visit
www.cultural-tech.org